Traders at the Alaba International Market in Ojo area of Lagos are still reeling from the devastating fire that ravaged a section of the market on Tuesday evening.

The fire, which gutted the furniture section, destroyed goods and properties worth billions of naira

According to eyewitnesses, the fire started in the evening and quickly spread, engulfing several shops and warehouses.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has blamed negligence on the part of some shop owners for the fire outbreak.

The Service stated that the fire could have been prevented if proper safety measures had been taken.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with local security men attached to the market running for safety as the flames consumed goods.

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The fire has left many traders in distress, with some weeping over their lost goods.

Some traders who lost goods and property in the fire are counting their losses, with many taking to social media to share their experiences and seek help.

“I lost all my goods. I am confused right now and I don’t know what to do,” one of the traders who identified himself as Timothy Okafor said.

Another trader, James Ugochukwu, told our correspondent that he lost well over N100 million worth of goods.

“Most of the furniture that were razed were imported furniture. I took delivery of my goods about two weeks ago. What will I do? The money is from a bank loan I recently secured,” he lamented.

James, who explained that he rushed to the market around 10pm when the news of the fire got to him, disclosed that on arrival, he met the roof of the building on fire with those who were around battling the fire.

“I lost everything,” said one distraught trader who identified himself as Chuks Anayo. “My entire stock, gone. I don’t know how I’ll recover from this,” he said further.

Our correspondent gathered that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service responded promptly to the emergency, but the fire spread because of their inability to gain access into the affected area.

It was learnt that the market was closed for the day and that most of the traders had gone home, leaving the entrance into the area under lock and key.

Over 100 lockup shops and several stalls were completely razed by the fire.

Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, but not before it had destroyed a lot of shops and stalls.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but officials have launched an investigation into the incident.

Maria Fadairo, Senior Public Affairs Officer, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed the incident, saying that the distress call was received around 9.18am.

Fadiaro explained that upon receiving the alert, the Ojo and Ijegun-Egba Fire Stations were immediately deployed to the scene.

She stated that the incident involved multiple lock-up shops of varying sizes situated within a two-storey building occupying approximately 648 square meters, within a larger market premises spanning about five hectares.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated from the topmost floor of the building shortly after electricity was restored, due to negligence on the part of some shop owners.

“Access to the affected areas proved challenging as most shops were closed for the day, necessitating forced entry to gain access and suppress the fire, a delay that contributed to the spread of the fire which was however confined to the floor.

“Firefighting operations were successfully concluded at 10pm with the complement efforts of personnel from the Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and the Ojo Police Division.

The Alaba International Market is one of the largest markets in Lagos, with thousands of traders selling everything from electronics to furniture. (Daily Trust)